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"Crickets Sing for Anamaria" is the English-language version of "Os Grilos" ("The Crickets"), a song written by Brazilian musician Marcos Valle with his brother Paulo Sérgio Valle.

"Crickets Sing for Anamaria" has been covered many times since, notably by English singer Emma Bunton, whose version peaked at number fifteen on the UK Singles Chart.

Background

The song was originally released as "Os Grilos". The instrumental original of the song appeared on Valle's 1967 album Brazilliance! and became a "breakout hit". The English version, to which producer Ray Gilbert contributed the lyrics, appeared on his 1968 album Samba '68. His then-wife, Ana Maria Carvalho was included in the title. Carvalho also sang on the album.

Emma Bunton version

"Crickets Sing for Anamaria"
Single by Emma Bunton
from the album Free Me
B-side	"Eso Beso" "So Nice (Summer Samba)"
Released	31 May 2004 (2004-05-31)
Studio	Sarm West (London)
Length	2:46
Label	Polydor 19
Songwriter(s)	Marcos Valle Ray Gilbert
Producer(s)	Mike Peden
Emma Bunton singles chronology
"I'll Be There" (2004) "Crickets Sing for Anamaria" (2004) "Downtown" (2006)

English singer Emma Bunton covered "Crickets Sing for Anamaria" for her second studio album, Free Me (2004). It was released on 31 May 2004 as the album's fourth and final single.

The music video for the song was directed by Harvey & Carolyn, who also worked with Bunton on the video for "Maybe". British actor Jake Canuso, who notably starred in Benidorm, co-starred in the music video as Bunton's love interest.

Background

For the B-sides, Bunton covered Paul Anka's "Eso Beso" and Valle's "So Nice (Summer Samba)". The only original B-side was the Latino version of "Maybe".

"Crickets Sing for Anamaria" would be the only cover on the song's respective album, Free Me.

Reception

Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine gave the song a positive review, noting that the song, along with other tracks from Free Me, is "what pure pop should be—frothy and inconsequential".

Pip Ellwood-Hughes of Entertainment Focus would put "Crickets Sing for Anamaria" on his list "Emma Bunton: her Top 10 solo singles to date". He said the "fun, carefree and light song is a bit bonkers", however, he'd add that the song suited the theme of its respective album, Free Me.

Commercial performance

The single debuted and peaked at number fifteen on the UK Singles Chart, Bunton's second single to miss the top-ten in UK after "We're Not Gonna Sleep Tonight". However, it also marked Bunton's comeback to the top-forty in Ireland, after failing to do so with Free Me's third single, "I'll Be There". The single also charted in Scotland, peaking at number eighteen.

The song would become Bunton's ninth best-selling song in the UK. It would also place on a list made by the Official Charts Company counting down all of the Spice Girls' solo singles, which Bunton is a member of, being thirty-sixth.

Track listings

• UK CD 1

1. "Crickets Sing for Anamaria" – 2:46
2. "Maybe" (Latino version) – 3:54

• UK CD 2

1. "Crickets Sing for Anamaria" – 2:46
2. "Eso Beso" – 3:14
3. "So Nice (Summer Samba)" – 3:11
4. "Crickets Sing for Anamaria" (Element's Crickets Dance On Tequila Booty Mix) – 4:13

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Free Me.

Charts

Release history

Other versions

• In 1965, Brazilian pianist Eumir Deodato, who played as a sideman with Marcos Valle, recorded a version of "Crickets Sing for Anamaria". His version would appear on the album Ataque by his group Os Catedráticos.
• In 1968, Brazilian singer Astrud Gilberto would record a cover of the song for her album, Windy.

References

1. John Bush, "Review: The Essential Marcos Valle, Vol. 2", AllMusic. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
2. Myers, Marc (18 May 2011). "Interview: Marcos Valle (Part 2)". JazzWax. Archived from the original on 2 June 2011. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
3. Lynskey, Dorian (5 February 2004). "Emma, Free Me". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 12 September 2014. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
4. Cinquemani, Sal (13 January 2005). "Review: Emma, Free Me". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on 22 October 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
5. Ellwood-Hughes, Pip (27 February 2019). "Emma Bunton: her Top 10 solo singles to date". Entertainment Focus. Archived from the original on 18 September 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
6. White, Jack (21 January 2021). "Emma Bunton's Official Top 10 biggest songs in the UK". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
7. Copsey, Rob (29 June 2017). "The ultimate Official Spice Girls solo chart: all their singles ranked by sales". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 2 July 2017. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
8. Free Me (liner notes). Emma Bunton. 19 Recordings. 2004. 986615-8.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
9. "Chart Track: Week 23, 2004". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
10. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
11. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
12. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 29 May 2004. p. 39.
13. John, Evan (26 October 2018). "Sixties Brazilian swing LP Ataque by Eumir Deodato and Os Catedráticos reissued for the first time". The Vinyl Factory. Archived from the original on 9 February 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
14. Gilberto, Astrud (1968). Windy (Media notes). Verve Records. V6-8754.

• 19 Recordings singles
• 1968 songs
• 2004 singles
• Bossa nova songs
• Emma Bunton songs
• English-language Brazilian songs
• Polydor Records singles
• Songs with lyrics by Ray Gilbert
• Songs with music by Marcos Valle